Multnomah County Releases Courthouse Renovation Study
For more than 40 years, Multnomah County has been considering how to address the seismic and safety issues of the Multnomah County Courthouse, which was constructed in 1909 and is used by over 3,000 persons a day.

A recent proposal would allow most tenants to stay in the building during renovation, add 75,000 square feet of usable space and four new elevators, address crowding in the lobby, improve the flow of courthouse users (including those in custody), replace all building systems including HVAC, electrical and mechanical systems, and preserve the historic designation granted to the building.

This proposal can reviewed in the Multnomah County Courthouse Renovation Study, which is now found online at http://tinyurl.com/3e5a4e4. A study committee will determine if other options exist, evaluate those options, and bring them before to the county board of commissioners for further consideration.

Oregon Mediation Association to Celebrate 25th Anniversary
The Oregon Mediation Association invites interested persons to its 25th Annual Gala on Saturday, June 18. The evening of dinner, dancing and celebration of the association’s commitment to the support of mediation will be held from 6 to 10:30 p.m. at the Tiffany Center in Portland.

The gala will include dinner and dessert buffet, presentation of OMA’s new Mediators’ Choice Award, raffle items, and music and dancing. Tickets are $60 ($420 per table of eight) and are available at www.omediate.org.

Hildebrandt collects data directly from general counsel, law department managers and compensation professionals, then verifies data for consistency and accuracy. All participants receive a free summary report and significant discounts on full reports.

To participate, email lawdepartment survey@hbrconsulting.com. The submission deadline is June 15; reports will be available in September.

Live Webcasting of Oral
Arguments Has Begun in the
Oregon Supreme Court
On May 2, the Oregon Supreme Court began webcasting oral arguments conducted before the court in the Supreme Court Courtroom in Salem.

The court is able to provide live-streaming broadcasts of arguments as they occur in real time. An online archive of the arguments previously webcast can be viewed at any time. Both the live-streaming broadcasts of arguments and the archived arguments can be viewed from the same online location: http://courts.oregon.gov/Supreme/webcasting.page.

This project is still in its infancy, and the court intends to add features and improve broadcast capability as technical operations allow. The hope is that this new service will increase access to the court and provide greater information and education about the work of the court to members of the public and to members
of the bar.

Demystifying Appeals CLE Set
for June 9
On June 9, the Federal Bar Association and the OSB Appellate Practice Section are cosponsoring a CLE event, “Demystifying Appeals: Appellate Practice in State and Federal Courts.” It will run from 1 to 5 p.m., in Courtroom 15A (15th floor) of the Hatfield U.S. Courthouse, 1000 S.W. Third Ave., Portland.

The seminar will feature federal and state appellate judges. The cost is $50, and the presentation has been approved for 3.5 CLE credit hours.